Mom Shares The Lessons She Learned After Saying 'Yes' To Her Kids For A Whole Week

Since actress Jennifer Garner shared her experience with giving her children a 'Yes day,' the trend has been catching on. The whole concept revolves around saying yes to whatever your kids want to do, eat or where they want to go.

Hannah Williams, a writer at Buzzfeed decided to go a few steps further - she offered her children a 'Yes week' and documented the experience in a vlog. She said yes (within reason) to her kids' requests and she ended up realizing that it was not as bad as she thought it would be. In fact, she even learned a few lessons about parenthood that other parents will find interesting. Watch her video below.

The 5 main things she learned:

1. Kids are more capable than we give them credit for

Have you ever said no to something your child wants simply because you believe he can't handle it even though there is no proof of this? Hannah usually refused to let her son ride his scooter to the barbers because she figured he would be so exhausted by the time he got there that he would not want to ride it back, which meant she would have to lug the thing back home. However, she said yes to his request and was actually surprised that the boy rode it to and fro without complaints.

2. Kids eat more when they have a say in what is being served

You probably imagine that saying only yes when it comes to food may mean you'll have to prepare some weird delicacies, and you're not wrong. Hannah prepared some spaghetti tacos for her kids and despite it being an unusual dish, her kids ate a lot out of it.

3. Spontaneous fun can be good for both you and the kids

Hannah was not sure what to think when her kids expressed the desire to have a picnic and play soccer on a work night. She usually refused this request in the park because weekends were the only times they had fun days like that. But having an unplanned play session ended up being great.

4. You get an opportunity to do something new

Another uncomfortable request that turned out to be quite fun was when the kids asked to come to work with her.

5. Saying no is smart, but saying yes can be life-changing

Sure, you cannot say yes to every single thing. In fact, your child will do better in the real world when they know how to handle rejection or disappointment. But saying yes from time to time can be pretty wonderful and give you a chance to experience or learn something new.

Not every parent can do a yes week or even a whole yes day. But starting with an hour or two can have the same effect. It is a great experiment to see your kids (and maybe even yourself) in a different light. Plus, you would undoubtedly make memories and maybe even have the best time ever.